April 22, 2021

Dear Colleague,

The National Science Board (Board) requests your assistance in the nomination process for candidates for the eight Board positions that will become vacant on May 10, 2022. I will be grateful if the announcement of these openings on the Board is made known to your members. The nominations period will close on 31 May 2021.

The Board was established by Congress in 1950 and has two important roles. It provides oversight for, and establishes the policies of, the National Science Foundation. It also serves as an independent body of advisors to both the President and Congress on broad national policy issues related to science and engineering research and education. More information on the Board and its current membership can be found at https://www.nsf.gov/nsb/index.jsp.

The 24 Board Members are appointed by the President for 6-year terms, with one-third of the membership renewed every 2 years. The Board is responsible for assembling and transmitting recommendations to the White House for appointments from various scientific, engineering, and educational organizations and societies. Candidates are submitted via the nominations portal. No log-in is required. As noted above, since the appointment process is lengthy, we request that nominations be completed not later than May 31, 2021.

Congress has stipulated that the Board should be composed of broadly experienced individuals of distinguished achievement and representative of a broad range of disciplinary interests. It also draws attention to the need for equitable representation of individuals from underrepresented groups and provides explicit criteria and eligibility requirements for membership on the Board, as described in Sections 4(c) and (d) of the 1950 legislation establishing the Board (enclosed for your reference). The Board, in its review of candidates, also considers the demographics, professional fields, active researchers/teachers and administrators, and industrial representation when making recommendations to the White House. Additional information about this year’s solicitation is provided within the attached ‘Dear Colleague Letter’.

A list of present Board Members, with their terms of office and affiliations, is also provided for your information. Thank you for your assistance in this important process.

Sincerely,

S. Alan Stern Encl: Chair Dear Colleague Letter Ad hoc Committee on Nominations Current NSB Members NSB Member

April 15, 2021 Dear Colleague: I am writing on a matter of great importance to the nation’s science and engineering research and education enterprise, and one for which you and your organization can make a direct and substantial contribution. The six-year terms of eight Members (one-third) of the National Science Board will expire on May 10, 2022. Given the significance of the Board’s role, described below, and the vital activities of your own organization in advancing the progress of research and education, I would be grateful to have your recommendations for highly qualified individuals to serve on the Board. The nomination process is online and is described below. The National Science Foundation (NSF) Act of 1950 created the Board with 24 Members serving 6-year terms. The NSF Director is an ex officio member. The Act confers on the Board the dual responsibilities of overseeing the activities of and establishing policies for NSF, as well as serving as an advisory body to the President and Congress on policy matters related to science and engineering and education in science and engineering. The Board is not an honorary board or an advisory committee. It is an oversight and governance board that requires considerable time from Board members to meet their responsibilities. Every two years, the Board solicits recommendations for new members from leading scientific, engineering, and educational organizations, as well as the public, and submits them to the White House for consideration. Members are formally appointed by the President. The Call for Nominations web portal is open (https://www.research.gov/nomination- web/nominations) and accepting submissions for the Board class of 2022-2028 from now until May 31, 2021. I encourage you to submit recommended nominations as soon as possible, and wish to call your attention to the three components required: 1) Letter of recommendation (see information below); 2) Nominee’s biography; and 3) Nominee’s curriculum vitae. The letter of recommendation needs to address, on a point-by-point basis, the items listed in the box below. Letters failing to provide this information will disadvantage the individual being nominated.

1) Demonstrated record of distinguished service and the potential for further contributions. 2) Demonstrated performance at the highest level in the scientific, technological, engineering, industrial, public sector, and educational communities, as appropriate for the individual under consideration, as measured by: a. outstanding scientific, technological, engineering, or public service credentials; b. broadly recognized intellectual contributions, especially those relevant to NSF; c. breadth, depth, and understanding of scientific knowledge, and contributions; and d. truly exceptional scientific, technological, engineering, industrial, educational, or administrative accomplishments. 3) Firm commitment to devote the time necessary for effectively performing and discharging Board duties. The Board meets five times per year, and numerous activities, including those associated with standing and ad hoc committees and task forces, occur between meetings, usually via teleconference but sometimes in person. Consequently, recommendations for nominees must make clear the ability of a candidate to commit the time necessary to be a fully engaged Board member. 4) Demonstrated expertise in specific topics to be engaged by the Board throughout their term, including: Specific topics for which representation is sought in the Class of 2028 • Cyberinfrastructure and Computational Science expertise • Private-sector technology management; Translation/Innovation/Partnerships • Promotion of diversity and Minority Serving Institutions • Geoscience expertise • STEM education and the science of learning • Engineering expertise Crosscutting topics that represent long-term/persistent issues for NSF and the nation • Understanding and appreciation of the unique long-term role NSF has played in the support of basic science, engineering, and education research. • Evolution of the Research & Development (R&D) enterprises. 5) Finally, consideration is given to diversity, including but not limited to gender and ethnic diversity, discipline of expertise, type and size of organizational affiliation, and geographic location. To learn more about the composition of the current Board, please visit http://www.nsf.gov/nsb/members/index.jsp.

For more information, and to access the Nominations portal to submit a nomination, please visit: http://www.nsf.gov/nsb/members/nominations.jsp. Much more detailed information concerning the Board, its members, and Board activities can be found on the NSB web site, http://www.nsf.gov/nsb. I welcome your participation in the National Science Board Member nomination process. If you have any questions, please contact Faith Hixson, Legal Administrative Specialist for the National Science Board and Executive Secretary to the ad hoc Committee on Nominations in the National Science Board Office at [email protected] or 703.292.7896.

Sincerely,

Ellen Ochoa Chair National Science Board

Term Member Name expires M/F Field Institution/Organization Job Title Director of Bredesen Center for Interdisciplinary , Research and Graduate Education; Governor’s Mechanical Engineering and S. Suresh Babu 2026 M Knoxville & Oakridge National Chair of Advanced Manufacturing; and Materials Science Lab Professor of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science 2026 Washington Univ. at St. Louis; Professor Emeritus of Biology (WUSTL) and Roger Beachy M Molecular Biology, Virology and Kultevat Inc. Chief Science Advisor (Kultevat) Aaron Dominguez 2026 M Particle Physics Catholic University of America Provost and Professor of Physics Electrical Engineering, Senior Vice President and Director of IBM Dario Gil 2026 M Computer Science & Quantum IBM Research Computing University of Massachusetts, Melvyn Huff 2026 M Mathematics Professor and Lecturer Dartmouth University of California, Los Matthew Malkan 2026 M Astronomy and Astrophysics Distinguished Professor Angeles Scott Stanley 2026 M Mechanical Engineering Techno Planet Vice President of Technology

Political Science, International Heather Wilson 2026 F University of Texas, El Paso President Relations Neurology, Anatomy, and School of Associate Professor of Neurobiology & Adjunct Maureen L. Condic 2024 F Bioethics Medicine Associate Professor of Pediatrics

Suresh V. Garimella 2024 M Mechanical Engineering University of Vermont President

Steven Leath 2024 M Plant Biology Former President

Bio & Atmospheric Chemistry; Geraldine Richmond 2024 F Professor Alternative Energy

Planetary Science & Associate Vice President & Special Assistant to Alan Stern 2024 M Southwest Research Institute Engineering the President

Stephen Willard 2024 M Biological Technology Cellfire, Inc. Former CEO

Materials Science and Professor Emeritus, Special Assistant to the Arthur Bienenstock 2022 M Engineering, Applied Physics, President for Federal Research Policy, and Photon Science Director of the Wallenberg Research Link

W. Kent Fuchs 2022 M Molecular Biology President

University of Colorado-Boulder, Carl Lineberger 2022 M Chemistry & Physics Professor & Fellow JILA University of the District of Victor McCrary 2022 M Physical Chemistry Vice President for Research Columbia John A. Hannah Distinguished Professor, Emilio Moran 2022 M Human Environmental Sciences Michigan State University Department of Geography, Environment and Spatial Sciences Julia M. Phillips 2022 F Materials Research Sandia National Laboratories Executive Emeritus

California Institute of Ira S. Bowen Professor of Astronomy Emeritus Anneila Sargent 2022 F Astrophysics & Astronomy Technology & Former Vice President of Student Affairs

Ellen Ochoa 2022 F Optical Information Processing NASA's Johnson Space Center Former Director Sethuraman Computer Science & ex officio M National Science Foundation Director Panchanathan Engineering